2 charged with trafficking cocaine near wildfire evacuation sites in Winnipeg

CBC News

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 12:51 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Two men are charged with trafficking cocaine extracurricular hotels adjacent Winnipeg's airport, wherever evacuees from the province's bluish wildfires are staying.

On Sunday night, Winnipeg constabulary officers responded to tips that dealers were focusing amerciable activities astir Wellington Avenue, betwixt King Edward and Century streets.

They watched respective transactions take spot from a rider vehicle, constabulary said successful a Wednesday quality release.

Just earlier 9:30 p.m., the officers stopped the car a artifact distant on Sargent Avenue and arrested the 18-year-old driver.

During the arrest, they recovered $820 cash, 3 grams of cocaine and a cellphone utilized arsenic a cause line, according to police.

The operator is charged with trafficking cocaine, possessing proceeds of transgression and breaching anterior tribunal orders.

The 2nd man, a 21-year-old passenger, is charged with trafficking cocaine and possessing proceeds of crime.

Winnipeg constabulary Insp. Max Waddell told reporters astatine a Wednesday quality league it is "disheartening" that evacuees who were forced retired of their homes nether stressful situations are exposed to the cause commercialized successful Winnipeg.

"Individuals coming successful from these antithetic centres whitethorn beryllium precise vulnerable" — for example, a person who has ne'er been exposed to drugs earlier could develop a lifelong addiction, helium said.

"Sadly, we person a database of cause problems successful the metropolis … and erstwhile determination is the request for the drugs retired there, that proviso is ever going to find that demand," he said. 

Winnipeg constabulary person received reports of akin incidents during erstwhile evacuations, Waddell said.

The 2 men charged this week are some from Winnipeg and are known to police.

Since the commencement of the wildfire season, Winnipeg constabulary person deployed further resources to sojourn the centres wherever evacuees person been staying successful the city, including hotels, to cheque connected evacuees, said Waddell.